Shortest-priced losers in horse racing: Ripon race not Doom’s day
There was further proof that there is never a sure thing in racing at Ripon on Tuesday when history was made for the wrong reason!
Doom’s defeat as a 1/25 favourite saw the horse enter the record books so here we look at the shortest-priced losers in horse racing in Britain.
Doom (2023)
William Haggas’ Doom became the shortest-priced loser in 75 years when beaten by 9/1 outsider Karmology in a two-runner race.
Doom looked to have been found a great opening in her fifth career outing after a juvenile season that saw her finish second to subsequent Oaks winner Soul Sister last autumn.
She had scared off all bar Karl Burke’s unraced Golden Horn filly Karmology, who was ridden by Pierre-Louis Jamin.
At the furlong marker of the one-mile affair, victory seemed to be assured for Tom Marquand and Doom, but Karmology began to gain on her outside and streaked past her with half a furlong to cross the line a length ahead.
Burke told Sky Sports Racing: “I really only entered her for the race because it was on our doorstep and there weren’t many entries. I said to the owners there were no races over a mile and a quarter for her until the end of the month so we may as well run for the education.
“I think all the Newmarket trainers, apart from William, must have had a late night and never followed the (declaration) tracking so it worked out really well.”
Royal Forest (1948)
Doom’s defeat at Ripon equalled Royal Forest as the shortest-priced beaten favourite in UK horse racing history.
Royal Forest’s surprise defeat came in the Clarence House Stakes at Ascot when he was beaten by half a length by 33/1 shot Burpham.
Royal Forest was ridden by Gordon Richards, who was also on board 1/20 favourite Glendower in a two-horse race at Chepstow in 1947 when he was unseated.
Jerry M (1909)
Jerry M was the 1/20 favourite for a two-horse race at Newbury but fell and although his jockey remounted to complete the course, the damage had been done.
That was not to define Jerry M’s career though as he went on to win the Grand National as top weight in 1912, having finished second behind Jenkinstown in the Aintree showpiece two years earlier.
Tree Of Liberty (2018)
Cap’n produced one of the biggest shocks in jumps racing history when overturning 1/20 shot Tree Of Liberty in a three-horse affair at Ludlow.
The seven-year-old, trained by Claire Dyson and ridden by Brendan Powell, came home two and a half lengths to the good over the Kerry Lee-trained hot-pot.
Tree Of Liberty attempted to make all the running in the two-mile heat but was challenged by Cap’n and Over To Midnight, who was the 25/1 outsider of the trio, when the latter took a crashing fall at the second-last fence.
Cap’n took control to open his account as Tree Of Liberty had nothing left to give in the closing stages.
Broadspear (2022)
Broadspear was the 1/16 favourite for the mile novice at Chepstow but was no match for 11/2 shot Painless Potter.
David Egan rode the favourite and looked in control on the rail but Painless Potter came through to win by a neck despite conceding 3lbs to the favourite.
Previously trained by Alan King, Painless Potter had been switched to Shaun Lycett’s stable and the trainer’s decision to take on Broadspear proved a shrewd decision.
“I thought this looked a weak race – I didn’t like the favourite anyway,” said Lycett. “I didn’t think he knew how to win so I wasn’t worried about him.”
Other shortest-priced losers in horse racing
Saucebox 1/20 (Airdrie, 1855)
Caller Ou 1/20 (Liverpool, 1864)
Kilwarin 1/20 (Derby, 1886)
Bayardo 1/20 (Goodwood, 1910)
Glendower 1/20 (Chepstow, 1947)
Triple Dip 1/20 (Lingfield, 2015)
